Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Languages
INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE
CONSULTANCIES
Publications
Disclaimer
References
Timeline
Generic

Mdili S. Katemani

Dar es salaam

Summary

Mdili S. Katemani is a Tanzanian plant health and phytosanitary specialist with over 15 years of experience in agricultural trade facilitation, pest risk management, and crop protection. He currently serves as Manager for Plant Health Compliance and Trade Facilitation at the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA), where he leads the development of phytosanitary dossiers, market access proposals, operational guidelines, and training programs for exporters, farmers, and agricultural officers.

Previously, he was Officer in Charge of Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Services under the Ministry of Agriculture, overseeing 36 national border posts and ensuring compliance with international plant health regulations. Earlier roles include Senior Agricultural Officer in Plant Health Services and a Research Fellow at KU Leuven, Belgium, where he specialized in molecular nematology and RNAi strategies for banana pest management.

Mr. Katemani holds a Master’s degree in Nematology from Ghent University, Belgium, and a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania. He has contributed to regional and international plant health initiatives, serving as Tanzania’s coordinator for several projects under FAO, CABI, EU-BTSF, EAC, and SADC. His work includes consultancies for FAO and CABI on phytosanitary training manuals and inspection procedures.

With extensive international exposure—including representing Tanzania at the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) in Rome, South Korea, and Belgium—he is recognized for his expertise in pest surveillance, phytosanitary certification, and biosecurity. He is also a published author on plant health and integrated pest management and continues to champion safe trade in agricultural commodities while safeguarding plant resources in Tanzania and the wider region.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

Manager for Plant Health Compliance and Trade Facilitation Section

TPHPA
01.2023 - Current
  • Collect phytosanitary information and compile dossiers for new market access proposals and facilitate bilateral consultations;
  • Coordinate and develop operational instructions including Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs), Field Inspections Manuals, Work Instructions and Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs);
  • Develop a phytosanitary work program for market access proposals;
  • Manage information regarding the occurrence of new pests and recommend policy actions;
  • Monitor implementation of phytosanitary requirements for trade between trading partners and recommend new phytosanitary measures between trading partners;
  • Serve as a National Enquiry Point (NEP) on matters related to phytosanitary, WTO-SPS and IPPC notifications;
  • Develop market access training manuals and supervise training to various stakeholders including farmers, agricultural field officers, exporters, service providers, trade officials, and policy makers;
  • Assist the Authority in interpreting and implementing regional and international standards and promoting their intended application for national interest; and
  • Facilitate phytosanitary-related trade dispute settlements through preparations of consultation briefings and exchange of technical information.

Officer In Charge-Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Services

Plant Health Services (PHS) Ministry of Agriculture
01.2016 - 01.2022
  • Issuance of certificates relating to the phytosanitary regulations of the importing contracting party for consignments of plants, plant products and other regulated articles;
  • Surveillance of growing plants, including both areas under cultivation (inter alia fields, plantations, nurseries, gardens, greenhouses and laboratories) and wild flora and of plants and plant products in storage or in transportation, particularly with the object of reporting the occurrence, outbreak and spread of pests, and of controlling those pests and pest reporting.
  • Inspection of consignments of plants and plant products moving in international traffic and, where appropriate, the inspection of other regulated articles, particularly with the object of preventing the introduction and/or spread of pests;
  • Disinfestation or disinfection of consignments of plants, plant products and other regulated articles moving in international traffic, to meet phytosanitary requirements.
  • Protection of endangered areas and the designation, maintenance and surveillance of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence;
  • Conduct of pest risk analyses;
  • Ensure through appropriate procedures that the phytosanitary security of consignments after certification regarding composition, substitution and reinfestation is maintained prior to export; and
  • Training and development of staff

Senior Agricultural Officer

Plant Health Services, Ministry of Agriculture
01.2010 - 01.2015
  • Advice on cash crop, food crop production and marketing
  • Advice on crop production techniques based on agro-ecological zones
  • Conduct and supervise training to the Assistant Agricultural Officers
  • Promote crop production
  • Sensitize and develop horticultural skills to farmers
  • Pest surveillance and monitoring for the purpose of pest detection and the supply of information for use in pest risk analyses, the establishment of pest free areas and, and preparation of Tanzania pest lists.
  • Conduct pest risk analysis (PRA) to establish a quarantine pest list, develop Tanzania plant import regulation
  • Provides guidance on the development of training requirement for plant quarantine inspectors in phytosanitary inspection theory, methods and procedures.
  • Phytosanitary control system and monitoring of approved pack house for export of vegetables & fruits in international market
  • Inspection and approval of agrochemical stores
  • Process and distribute agrochemicals
  • Maintain records of registered pesticide along with mention of salient features including the brand name of product, active ingredient, type of formulation, strength, company for which registration is granted along with the source country, and the date of registration

Research Fellow

Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement KU Leuven
01.2009 - 01.2010
  • Analysis of RNAi strategies against migratory endo-parasitic nematodes of banana
  • Molecular techniques; Primer design, PCR, qRT-PCR, RFLP, DNA, RNA and protein purification, DNA cloning, gel electrophoresis, sequencing, Southern and Northern blotting.
  • Construction of plant transformation vectors by conventional and gateway cloning methods
  • Agrobacterium mediated plant transformation techniques in banana
  • In vitro RNAi techniques using dsRNA and SiRNA
  • Transcriptome analysis of nematodes and usage of Bioinformatics tools for EST analysis and sequence alignment ( BLAST, MAT Lab, MEGA, AlignX, Bio edit)
  • Designing, implementing, managing, analysing of laboratory, glasshouse and field experiments as well as surveys.
  • In vitro culturing of C. elegans, plant-parasitic nematodes and, entomo-pathogenic nematodes
  • Nematode taxonomy and identification using molecular and morphological techniques
  • Isolation and identification and culturing of soil borne fungi and bacteria
  • Mass production of bio nematicides, Trichoderma sp and Pochonia sp , Verticilium sp and Pseudomonas sp

Education

Master of Nematology -

Gent University
09.2010

Bachelor of Science - Agronomy

Sokoine University of Agriculture
01.2004

Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education - undefined

Tarime High School
01.2000

Ordinary Level Secondary Education - undefined

Magu Secondary School
01.1997

Skills

  • Multimedia and audio-visual software proficiency
  • Expertise in agriculture trade management systems
  • Proficient in graphic design
  • Proficient in Data analytics using Microsoft Power BI and Excel
  • CHAT GTP Certified

Affiliations

  • National Project Coordinator - Strengthening Plant Health Services in Tanzania for Enhanced Food Safety
  • Senior Fellow and Country Coordinator - Australia-Africa Plant Biosecurity Partnership
  • IPM focal Expert for Kihansi catchment conservation and management project (KCCMP)
  • Member of the EAC Regional Pest Risk Analysis Team
  • Member of the SADC Regional Pest Risk Analysis Team
  • Country Coordinator; Better Training for Safer Food (BTSF) –EU

Languages

Fluent in written and spoken; English and Swahili; Beginner in French

INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE

  • April 2016 Commission for Phytosanitary Measures CPM 12 Incheon South Korea
  • April 2013 Commission for Phytosanitary Measures(CPM 8),FAO Rome, Italy
  • March 2012 Commission for Phytosanitary Measures(CPM 7),FAO Rome, Italy
  • May 2010 International Plant Protection Symposium Ghent, Belgium
  • May 2009 International Plant Protection Symposium Ghent, Belgium
  • June 30- July 4, 2008 International Plant Diagnostic Network Workshop, Makerere University Kampala Uganda

CONSULTANCIES

  • 1. Client: Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nation (FAO) Dates : May 2015 Position : National Consultant-Training Manual Translator Duties :
  • To provide a Kiswahili name for Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND)
  • To undertake translation of the plant pathology technical terms and names used in the English version of the training manual into meaningful Kiswahili technical terms and names
  • Deliver translated training manual within set deadline
  • Make adjustment suggested and defined by FAO
  • Status: Successfully Completed and Delivered
  • 2. Client: Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) and Department of Crop Inspection and Certification (DCIC) of MAAIF Uganda. Dates: September 2019 Position: International Consultant; Develop DCIC’s SOPs, Work Instruction and Phytosanitary Field Inspection Manual for Fruits and Vegetables Exported to the EU Duties: Facilitate development of SOPs for inspection of FFVs priority commodities for export and compile them into a comprehensive DCIC MAAIF Phytosanitary Inspection manual. The manual will include but not limited to the following SOPs
  • SOP for inspection of Pest Free Production Sites
  • SOP for Exit -Point Inspection for Phytosanitary certification
  • SOP on sampling for inspection of FFVs prior to export
  • SOPs on pest scouting and internal pest reporting
  • SOP for handling notifications of non- compliance

Publications

  • Katemani et al.,2010, Characterization of transgenic banana shoots with RNAi constructs against Radopholus similis, file:///C:/Users/Mdili/Desktop/RUG01-001458773_2011_0001_AC.pdf
  • Training Manual for Identification and Management of Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease, 1st Ed, FAO 2015, Dar es salaam
  • Integrated Pest Management Package for Tomota Grown at Kihansi Catchment Area, GEF 2018, Dar es salaam
  • Beatrice Pallangyo, K. Mdili, C. Mkondo and A. Kibola. Crop Pests, Control Measures and Potential Impacts in Kihansi Catchment Area. Plant Health Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. Dar es Salaam https://www.ajol.info/index.php/tjs/article/view/192788

Disclaimer

I HEREBY CERTIFY that the information provided in this curriculum vitae is complete, true, and correct to the best of my knowledge.

References

A.J.P, Tarimo, Prof, snindi@yahoo.com, +255756092344, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Department of Crop Production, P.O.BOX 3000

Timeline

Manager for Plant Health Compliance and Trade Facilitation Section

TPHPA
01.2023 - Current

Officer In Charge-Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Services

Plant Health Services (PHS) Ministry of Agriculture
01.2016 - 01.2022

Senior Agricultural Officer

Plant Health Services, Ministry of Agriculture
01.2010 - 01.2015

Research Fellow

Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement KU Leuven
01.2009 - 01.2010

Bachelor of Science - Agronomy

Sokoine University of Agriculture

Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education - undefined

Tarime High School

Ordinary Level Secondary Education - undefined

Magu Secondary School

Master of Nematology -

Gent University
Mdili S. Katemani